Support Bill's Recovery and Rebuilding Journey

Imagine being awakened from your sleep to the sounds of people shouting to you from outside your home, followed by the harsh, acrid smell of smoke consuming your house. These are the things from which nightmares are created and something you could never imagine having to endure.

This is what happened to our dear friend and coworker, Bill, on Wednesday night, May 1, 2024 in Shalersville, Ohio. The home is a total loss, which was engulfed in flames, along with several vehicles. Bill’s wife, Christine, was able to escape the blaze. Bill fearlessly went back into the burning house to rescue his two beloved dogs, two birds and his cat; but was overcome by the harsh, thick smoke and the licking, searing flames. Bill was unable to retrieve his treasured pets and crawled on his hands and knees through the inferno as he literally watched in horror as his home and his life were destroyed by flames.

Bill was Life Flighted to Akron Children’s Hospital Burn Center to be treated. Bill is currently on a ventilator and suffered third degree burns over fifty percent of his body. To complicate matters further, Bill is a diabetic, which means he is at a greater risk to develop sepsis. Bill will spend months in the hospital, while his wife will need to deal with the aftermath of this tragedy on her own.

Bill was looking forward to his retirement, and now those dreams will be delayed, if not dashed entirely. Who could fathom having to rebuild your entire life from the ground up?

Bill is an avid gardener and took great pride in his beautifully landscaped yard. Bill also has a penchant for his fast cars and couldn’t wait to get his Ford Mustang back on the road for summer cruise ins and car shows. Bill is energetic, funny and an asset to our company and the neighborhood and customers he serves.

We here at Shaker Quality Auto Body seek the assistance of friends, neighbors and strangers alike to help Bill rebuild his life and assist his wife, Christine, with the daunting task ahead of her. We humbly ask that you contribute what you can in this endeavor and know that any assistance provided is profoundly appreciated.